The Poets Design, in this Divine Satyr, is to represent the various Wishes and Desires of Mankind; and to set out the Folly of em. He runs through all the several Heads of Riches, Honours, Eloquence, Fame for Martial Atchievements, Long-Life, and Beauty; and gives Instances, in Each, how frequently they have provd the Ruin of those that Ownd them. He concludes therefore, that since we generally chuse so ill for our selves, we shoud do better to leave it to the Gods, to make the choice for us. All we can safely ask of Heaven lies within a very small Compass. Tis but Health of Body and Mind.And if we have these, tis not much matter what we want besides: For we have already enough to make us Happy.

Note 3. Sejanus was Tiberiuss first Favourite, and while he continud so had the highest Marks of Honour bestowd on him: Statues and Triumphal Chariots were every where erected to him; but as soon as he fell into Disgrace with the Emperor, these were all immediately dismounted, and the Senate and Common People insulted over him as meanly, as they had fawnd on him before. [back]

Note 5. The island of Capreæ, which lies about a League out at Sea from the Campanian Shore, was the Scene of Tiberiuss Pleasures in the latter part of his Reign. There he livd for some Years with Diviners, Soothsayers, and worse CompanyAnd from thence dispatchd all his Orders to the Senate. [back]

Note 6. Julius Cæsar, who got the better of Pompey, that was stild the Great. [back]

Note 7. Demosthenes and Tully both dyed for their Oratory. Demosthenes gave himself Poyson to avoid being carried to Antipater, one of Alexanders Captains, who had then made himself Master of Athens. Tully was Murtherd by M. Antonys Order, in Return for those Invectives he had made against him. [back]

Note 8. The Latin of this Couplet is a Famous Verse of Tullys, in which he sets out the Happiness of his own Consulship; Famous for the Vanity, and the ill Poetry of it. For Tully as he had a good deal of the one, so he had no great share of the other. [back]

Note 9. The Orations of Tully against M. Antony were stild by him Philippics, in imitation of Demosthenes, who had given that name before to those he made against Philip of Macedon. [back]

Note 14. Xerxes is represented in History after a very Romantick Manner, affecting Fame beyond Measure, and doing the most Extravagant things to compass it. Mount Athos made a Prodigious Promontory in the Ægæan Sea: He is said to have cut a Channel through it, and to have Saild round it. He made a Bridge of Boats over the Hellespont where it was three Miles broad: And orderd a Whipping for the Winds and Seas, because they had once crossed his Designs, as we have a very solemn account of it in Herodotus. But, after all these vain Boasts, he was shamefully beaten by Themistocles at Salamis; and returnd home, leaving most of his Fleet behind him.back]

Note 15. Mercury, who was a God of the lowest size, and employd always in Errands between Heaven and Hell. And Mortals usd him accordingly: For his statues were anciently placd, where Roads met, with Directions on the Fingers of em, pointing out the several ways to Travellers. [back]

Note 18. Nestor, King of Pylos, who was 300 Years old, according to Homers account; at least, as he is understood by his Expositors. [back]

Note 19. The Ancients counted by their Fingers. Their Left Hands servd em till they came up to an Hundred, after that they used their Right, to express all greater Numbers. [back]

Note 20. The Fates were three Sisters, which had all some peculiar business assignd em by the Poets in relation to the Lives of Men. The First held the Distaff; the Second spun the Thread; and the Third cut it. [back]

Note 21. Whilst Troy was Sacking by the Greeks, Old King Priam is said to have Buckled on his Armour to oppose em; which he had no sooner done, but he was met by Pyrrhus, and slain before the Altar of Jupiter, in his own Palace, as we have the Story finely told in Virgils 2d Æneid. [back]

Note 22. Hecuba, his Queen, escapd the Swords of the Grecians, and outlivd him. It seems she behavd her self so fiercely and uneasily to her Husbands Murtherers while she livd, that the Poets thought fit to turn her into a Bitch, when she dyd. [back]

Note 23. Mithridates, after he had disputed the empire of the world, for forty years together, with the Romans, was at last deprived of life and empire by Pompey the Great. [back]

Note 24. Crsus, in the midst of his Prosperity, making his Boast to Solon how Happy he was, receivd this Answer from the Wise Man: That no One could pronounce himself Happy till he saw what his End should be. The truth of this Crsus found, when he was put in Chains by Cyrus, and condemned to die. [back]

Note 25. Pompey, in the midst of his Glory, fell into a Dangerous Fit of Sickness at Naples. A great many Cities then made Publick Supplications for him. He Recoverd, was beaten at Pharsalia, fled to Ptolomy, King of Ægypt, and, instead of receiving Protection at his Court, had his Head struck off by his Order, to please Cæsar. [back]

Note 29. Virginia was killd by her own Father, to prevent her being exposd to the Lust of Appius Claudius, who had Ill Designs upon her. The Story at large is in Livys Third Book; and tis a remarkable one, as it gave occasion to the putting down the Power of the Decemviri, of whom Appius was one. [back]

Note 30. Hippolytus, the Son of Theseus, was lovd by his Mother in Law Phædria. But he not complying with her, she procurd his Death. [back]

Note 31. Bellerophon, the Son of King Glaucus, residing some time at the Court of Pætus, King of the Argives, the Queen, Sthenobæa, fell in Love with him. But he refusing her, she turnd the Accusation upon Him, and he narrowly scapd Pætuss Vengeance. [back]

Note 33. Messalina, Wife to the Emperor Claudius, Infamous for her Lewdness. She set her Eyes upon C. Silius, a fine Youth; forcd him to quit his own Wife, and Marry her with all the Formalities of a Wedding, whilst Claudius Cæsar was Sacrificing at Hostia. Upon his Return, he put both Silius and her to Death. [back]